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Journalism of Courage
A day after raising questions over the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) constructing its headquarters at a disputed property in South Mumbai, Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday held a meeting with municipal commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), seeking the details of the land deal.
In a letter to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Pawar raised five questions and sought the corporation’s reply. “The land at which headquarter is going to be built falls under Schedule W category which is a leased land. How did the civic body give permission to sell this land of which lease was not renewed,” the letter stated.
The letter also questioned why no auction was held as the norm in case of government and semi-government lands. “How was the land, which was kept as security with banks sold to Eknath realty? How did the civic body allow sale of the land from private player to a political party within one month? Did the government allow Maharashtra state co-operative housing finance corporation to sell its stake,” the letter stated.
After the meeting, Pawar said that municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani would give written reply to his questions. “Our questions are for the people of Mumbai. If leased lands are now allowed to be sold, won’t it be a precedent? Mahalaxmi Race Course is also a leased land. Will that be put on sale as well,” asked Pawar.
Meanwhile, sources within the BMC said that appropriate response will be given to the MLA.
As per the allegations levelled by the Opposition, the land was given on lease in 1902 during the British era and a majority of it was in the possession of the Maharashtra State Co-operative Housing Finance Corporation (54%), while the rest (46%) was with four members of the Wasani family.
When the lease period ended in 2001, the corporation applied for renewal, but the Wasani family did not. Later, it was found that the family members mortgaged the land with some banks without the BMC’s knowledge.
In 2025, Eknath Realtors applied for the 46 per cent portion of the land with banks on April 1. The BMC’s property department gave an approval by April 4. Soon, Eknath Realtors also applied for the rest of the land with the corporation, and it was also approved. Eknath Realtors received the land by paying transfer charges of Rs 21.35 crore.
Later, on May 21, an application was submitted to transfer the land for the BJP headquarters and it was approved on May 22. On May 31, the process to transfer the land to the BJP was completed.
Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday had said that the land has been purchased at the BJP’s own expense, following all the rules of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
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